2004 – Page 58 – commonplacebook.com

Most Evil GOP Bastard: Tom DeLay
In the field of GOP bastardy, few can compare with the malevolent influence of the GOP House majority leader. Known as “The Hammer,” this Texas power broker maintains tight control of his “peers” through his prodigious fundraising (he apparently lets lobbyists write their own legislation).

A big list of “best of” lists from major news outlets, etc:
What Do I Know’s Best of Lists

Originally, it was “Be Nice to People Who Upset Me”

Post author:HFM
Post published:January 2, 2004
Post category:What Am I?
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But then I took this quiz that Lori Beth had linked on her site… and it turns out I’m supposed to Break Stuff.

Take the >What Should Your New Year’s Resolution Be? Quiz [link redacted]

Me, In another 7 or 8 Years, If I’m Not Careful

Post author:HFM
Post published:January 2, 2004
Post category:Journal
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Man Trapped Under Books, Papers Rescued
EW YORK – A man who says he sells books and magazines on the street was rescued after being trapped for two days under a mountain of reading material in his apartment.
Patrice Moore, 43, had apparently been standing up when the books, catalogs, mail and newspapers swamped him on Saturday. Firefighters and neighbors rescued Moore on Monday afternoon and he was hospitalized in stable condition Tuesday morning with leg injuries.

Baby Jeebus Face Painted Black

Post author:HFM
Post published:January 2, 2004
Post category:Brain Food
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Someone who took a baby Jesus figurine from a church’s outdoor Nativity scene painted its skin black and then brought it back.
The figurine was accompanied with a note that said the darker paint more accurately represents his skin color.
“I thought I would point out that Jesus was not an Aryan but actually a man of color,” the note said. “Although you probably knew this but would rather not be reminded.”

FBI urges police to watch for people carrying almanacs

Post author:HFM
Post published:January 1, 2004
Post category:Politics
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Farmer's Almanac 2004 — Farmer’s Almanac 2004

WASHINGTON – The FBI is warning police nationwide to be alert for people carrying farmers almanacs, cautioning that the popular reference books covering everything from abbreviations to weather trends could be used for terrorist planning.

In a bulletin sent Christmas Eve to about 18,000 police organizations, the FBI said terrorists may use almanacs “to assist with target selection and pre-operational planning.”

It urged officers to watch during searches, traffic stops and other investigations for anyone carrying almanacs, especially if the books are annotated in suspicious ways.

“The practice of researching potential targets is consistent with known methods of al-Qaeda and other terrorist organizations that seek to maximize the likelihood of operational success through careful planning,” the FBI wrote.

The Associated Press obtained a copy of the bulletin this week and verified its authenticity.

Now if if the guy carrying an almanac is driving a John Deere and wearing a seed corn hat, that’s probably not a terrorist. That’s probably my Grandpa.